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Via Argentina “heads to abyss”, 40+ businesses bankrupted

On the eve of his bid to become the Panamenista Party presidential candidate, Mayor Jose, Isobel Blandon got a strong heads up from merchants on Via Argentina, claiming that there have been over 40 bankruptcies on the once-booming thoroughfare since the start of his much-vaunted rehabilitation scheme.

On Friday, October 26, they gathered in El Cangejo to protest the inconveniences and financial hardships, caused by the slow pace of work and disruption in the sector.

The group insists that it is not opposed to restorations and repairs on the road and public services, but to the way it has been done,

They also wonder who will pay them compensation for the damage they have caused them and pointing out that even some survivors have had to reduce the staff of their shops.

Luis García Eliseo Hernández, one of the merchants told La Prensa that nobody is opposed to the project, “what we oppose is the way and manner in which it is being built”. Hernandez said that it is leading to the abyss, not only for the community but also for businesses.

Over 40 shops have declared bankruptcy and he warned that there are lung problems among residents.

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50 shops closed in once trendy tourist area

The timing couldn’t be worse for Panama city mayor and wannabe president, José Isabel Blandón after an uninspiring performance in the first debate if presidential candidates.

A lawsuit against the Municipality of Panama has been launched by a dozen merchants of Vía Argentina, in the Third Chamber of Supreme Court (CSJ).

The citizens, grouped in the movement 'Comerciantes Unidos de Bella Vista', announced on Friday, February 22 that at least 50 businesses in the once trendy area have closed as a result of the construction of the rehabilitation project of by city the mayor Blandón.

The merchants have requested fair compensation for the damages suffered due to the construction of the $26.2 million project. It is estimated that the demand could reach $8 million.

The complaints are related to problems suffered by sewage, lack of parking and frequent flooding in the sector.

The renovation works on the road cover twelve blocks, located between Vía España and Avenida Manuel Espinosa Batista, in the sector of El Cangrejo.

This area was once very frequented by Panamanians and foreigners thanks to the variety of shops, restaurants, bars, bakeries, pharmacies and beauty salons.

The merchants say that they had not received the required responses through the Transparency Law.

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What about Juice Mi, across (formerly) from Banco Nacional? And Delicias Chiriqui on the river bank next to the Feria bridge? I suspect there may be others. ?

Regarding Juice Mi, I recall having several conversations with David Hatton about his "fights" (plural) with the city and specifically including the mayor about the road conditions, dust, lack of water, etc. We really liked Juice Mi because it was good (healthy) food, good service, and good value.

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What about Juice Mi, across (formerly) from Banco Nacional? And Delicias Chiriqui on the river bank next to the Feria bridge? I suspect there may be others. ?

Regarding Juice Mi, I recall having several conversations with David Hatton about his "fights" (plural) with the city and specifically including the mayor about the road conditions, dust, lack of water, etc. We really liked Juice Mi because it was good (healthy) food, good service, and good value.

One restaurant owner told me that their business was down 40 to 60% during the various road closures.

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No business has been successful at the Bridge location. High rent is supposedly the killer there. I believe the owners are working out of their home on Av. A East and are open in the afternoons.

The biggest problem with the building near Banco Nacional is a lack of parking because the prime tenant rents out it's parking lot to artesans. Gastronomia Otto has done well there but David is now relocating it to a new spot across from La Posada.

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Wow Keith. You sure are hard over on being positive about Panama government and the infrastructure. I never read anything you write that is even in the slightest negative about Panama. There are times when criticism is justified, in my opinion.

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Keith, as far as I know, you seem to be the best informed gringo in the area with respect to what's happening here in Boquete, so a question for you.
The former owner/manager of Restaurante Baru told me before he apparently lost/sold the business that Boquete's torn up streets had hurt his revenues very badly, a few other business managers have said the same to me, and others have told me that tourism in Boquete had dropped a lot due to the same problem, hurting hotels and restaurants and many of their employees.
I think I recall a meeting of quite a few (maybe a dozen?) business managers with President Varella here in Boquete at which they reportedly criticized the work's effects on their businesses, and he promised that the streets would be repaved by a certain date.
Now Restaurante Baru apparently has new owners, has been renamed Bamboo, has lost many of its former employees, and has come out with a much pricier menu, although we recently felt that the meals we were served were not as enjoyable as we previously experienced in Baru's better days.
Do you know of any public information about the scope of the economic harm (lost revenues, etc.) Boquete's tourism-dependent businesses have experienced?
Thanks.

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Wow Keith. You sure are hard over on being positive about Panama government and the infrastructure. I never read anything you write that is even in the slightest negative about Panama. There are times when criticism is justified, in my opinion.

Instead of jumping on the 'Let's blame the Mayor" bandwagon for every negative in this town (the easy thing to do), I attempt to provide reasonable, factual answers ..in this case why the two businesses failed.

In one instance the rent is exorbitant.

The other location had no parking, and if I'm not mistaken, the operator has also been unsuccessful at several other unrelated business ventures.

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Keith, as far as I know, you seem to be the best informed gringo in the area with respect to what's happening here in Boquete, so a question for you.
The former owner/manager of Restaurante Baru told me before he apparently lost/sold the business that Boquete's torn up streets had hurt his revenues very badly, a few other business managers have said the same to me, and others have told me that tourism in Boquete had dropped a lot due to the same problem, hurting hotels and restaurants and many of their employees.
I think I recall a meeting of quite a few (maybe a dozen?) business managers with President Varella here in Boquete at which they reportedly criticized the work's effects on their businesses, and he promised that the streets would be repaved by a certain date.
Now Restaurante Baru apparently has new owners, has been renamed Bamboo, has lost many of its former employees, and has come out with a much pricier menu, although we recently felt that the meals we were served were not as enjoyable as we previously experienced in Baru's better days.
Do you know of any public information about the scope of the economic harm (lost revenues, etc.) Boquete's tourism-dependent businesses have experienced?
Thanks.

Mike, I have no doubt that street business has been affected. To what extent is hard to say.

All the established businesses I patronize are still there and the town has been full of tourists for a few months now.

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Not that I get to Boquete often, but I have not seen an appreciable drop in tourist numbers. I can understand how businesses are suffering, but IMHO a lot of that may have to do with the physical number of eateries in the town. Realistically, the local population cannot support that many and the tendency of some places to charge Paris prices for average food doesn’t help. Having said that, it is also obvious that the road works took longer than reasonably expected, but this is Panama and that is the norm. It is the way things are here, work around it.